PRESS RELEASE - Georgetown Divide Public Utility District

PRESS RELEASE
Georgetown Divide PUD Declares Stage 2 Drought Emergency
At their April 8, 2014 Board Meeting, the Georgetown Divide Public Utility District
(District) Board of Directors acknowledged and recognized the unprecedented current
drought conditions in California, with 2013 proving to be the driest year on record, and
the amount of water available in the District’s only water storage reservoir, Stumpy
Meadows, is currently at 75% of capacity entering the dry summer season, with
projections showing below normal reservoir inflows and water storage carryover by the
end of the year.
As a result, the Board of Directors declared a Stage 2 Drought Emergency for the
District and authorized the implementation of voluntary potable water customer use
reduction of 30% and mandatory curtailment of irrigation water use of 25%, effective
immediately.
In order to achieve the 25% irrigation water reductions (equal to 1,175 acre-feet or 155
Miner’s Inches per day), the Board of Directors approved a delay to the start of the 2014
irrigation season to June 1, 2014, at the latest, and end irrigation season approximately 1
week earlier on September 19, 2014.
In addition, the Board approved a moratorium on adding any new irrigation water accounts
during the 2014 irrigation season.
The Board also authorized a voluntary irrigation water allocation reduction program
where irrigation customers can agree to take a reduced allocation of irrigation water for
the 2014 irrigation season without losing their Priority 1 status and access to their full
water allotment for the 2015 irrigation season.
The Board also stated that an extension of the 2014 irrigation season would be
considered if a sufficient number of irrigation customers participate in the program, and
PRESS RELEASE Georgetown Divide Public Utility District April 9, 2014 the cumulative total amount of reduced irrigation water demand is enough to make an
extension to the irrigation season possible.
The District is mailing letters to all irrigation customers asking for their participation
in this voluntary program with a deadline of April 25, 2014, to contact the District to
identify their interest in the program.
To address the need to reduce potable water use by 30%, the Board also authorized the
implementation of specific water conservation measures to enable all potable water
customers to meet the voluntary water use reduction goal of 30%. Potable water
customers are now required to comply with the following water conservation measures:

Irrigation of ornamental plants, gardens, landscaped areas, trees, shrubs is restricted
to Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays between the hours of 7PM and 6AM.

The planting of new turf grass or replacement is prohibited.

Eating establishments are prohibited from automatically offering drinking water to
customers and only provide water upon request.

The initial filling of swimming pools or ornamental ponds is prohibited.

Car washing without use of a hose nozzle is prohibited, and customers are
recommended to use commercial car washes that recycle their wash water.
Customers found in violation of these water use restrictions will be subject to financial
penalties that will be added to their water bills.
Additionally, the Board of Directors approved a moratorium on new water service
applications received after April 8, 2014.
All District customers are encouraged to visit www.saveourh20.org for more
information and ideas on how to conserve water.
To contact the District, please call (530) 333-4356, or email [email protected] . If you
would like to contact us by mail, our mailing address is P.O. Box 4240, Georgetown,
95634.
PRESS RELEASE Georgetown Divide Public Utility District April 9, 2014